For me, this was the second reading of the book. This time I read more carefully and enjoyed it much more. My heart aches for Lily. She is the narrator and shares with the readers a tragic childhood and an immeasurable longing for her mother. This book made me sad, yet I couldn't put it down....even though I knew how it was going to end. :) I can't imagine what it must be like for a child to lose a mother, especially due to a tragic accident such as Lily's. I cheered for Lily through each page and was mentally willing her to escape from T. Ray. He was almost the perfect antagonist to me. I just couldn't get past the fact that he lost someone that he loved so much. That doesn't excuse his behavior of course, but I found myself feeling sorry for him at times.
I learned from reading this book. I learned about the making of honey and bee etiquette. I enjoyed the quotes/information about bees at the beginning of the chapters. It was interesting how much honey ruled the lives of the calendar sisters. I laughed at all the remedies that honey could be used for; the spoonfuls in the morning to wake them up and the ones at night to put them to sleep, eaten at meals to calm the mind, give them stamina, and prevent fatal disease, used to disinfect cuts/chapped lips, to bathe in....according to August, honey was the "ambrosia of the gods and the shampoos of the goddesses" (84). The process of making honey and the never ending work of a beekeeper was fascinating.
August, June, and May were equally fascinating characters and being a twin myself, I could imagine May's pain. I share a closeness with my twin that I share with no other person. We feel one another's happiness and sadness, no matter how many miles separate us. It is a unique relationship. I think May finally found peace when she makes it to heaven and into April's arms. I think May's wailing wall is actually a brilliant idea. It would help us all to have a place to go to find peace and comfort during troubled times.
Kidd's inclusion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made the book more real to me. The attacks on Rosalee and Zach were tough to read about. I know those types of incidents were common and many were much more violent. 1964 was not so long ago, our society still faces equality issues today . It was interesting to read about a white child in a black home and her not noticing color except when it was brought to her attention by adults.
Finally, Lily. Her character matures right before our eyes. She begins as a child that feels unloved and unwanted by her family and community. Her need to be needed is heartbreaking as is her quest to understand her mother. She has a fuzzy image of what happened to her mother but believes that she is responsible for her death. She has a father who doesn't seem to love her, and needs her only to help on the peach farm. When she rescues Rosaleen and makes it to Tiburon, magically stumbling upon the pink house, we watch her go from a child to a young adult. Her courage and relationships help her find herself, not just her mother. The chains are lifted from her heart when she is given a picture of herself and her mother. She is finally able to see with her own eyes the love for a child from it's mother. It is at this point that she knows she was loved and needed. This is the sign that she has been looking for throughout the entire book.
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4 comments:
It's funny you mentioned learning about bees because my aunt and uncle have bees so it's intresting listening to them and then reading this book explaining all the work that goes into. The bees and honey were just another unique aspect of the sisters. Lily's transformation is amazing and definitely deserving. Her whole outlook on life has changed and allowed her to be free in a sense like the bees!
I too was willing Lily to leave T.Ray. I loved how hopeful she was, and I was too for her. I hoped that at the end T. Ray would break down his wall of anger and love Lily. I wanted her to remain with the sisters, but I wanted their relationship to begin to mend. Instead, I was shocked to see that he beat her up! (first time reading the book) I also like your insights about being a twin. It is something I don't understand, but I totally believe that a special connection exists. Very neat!
I thought your comment about the chains being lifted from Lily comes to the heart of the matter. The metaphor of the chains falling away from our Lady was symbollic of all the chains that were being removed, not only in Lily's heart but during that era as well. The historic references were signigant. The chains of racial inequality were being lifted by the civil rights movement and, even though they had a long way to go, the country was starting to recognize that the last link in the chains of bondage (slavery) had to be removed for any of us to be free.
I agree that the bees were a perfect selection for demonstating human struggles. They are truly fascinating creatures that we can learn a lot from. Lily did suffer a terrible ordeal regarding her mother, no child can understand how a mother could abandon her. It must be wonderful to have a twin, especially if you feel the same things, as May did in the novel. I will have to read the book again myself, the second time around can give one a better insight on human suffering.
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